Uncle Julio's, I Drive

I had lunch at this "aspiring" Mexican restaurant under the shadow of the Ferris wheel last Saturday. By "aspiring" I mean they aspire to be high end. And like most "aspire-ers", they have the veneer but not the grace. I forget if it is a chain or not. It might as well be. Let me ask you. If you pay $16 for a salad, should you get more than 4 ounces of tuna and fresh greens? If you answered yes you can skip (or since Blogger does it chronologically - you can re-read) to the next post. I knew a salad was pushing it in a Mexican restaurant, but, I was hung over and had two forms of Mexican the day before. The tuna sounded nice and nonthreatening. As did the avocado. The tuna was without "dental floss'. That was good. Also not embarrassingly pale. But, there was just too little of it in the end. Same with avocado. They even chintzed on the dressing. One ramekin. And I told you that the mixed greens were wilted. My buddy had three lifeless tacos for around $13. These guys opened in July. It looks nice. It's big. They have a guac station. The menu is expansive. The service is fine. The food just isn't "fussed" over. It's a grind it out sort of place. Or at least our meal was. You can "do" at least the same if not better at a number of other places.

Grub Crawl - Disney Springs: Maria & Enzo's Ristorante and The Edison

I tried these new places across from STK last Friday night. The quality of the review will be impacted by the open bar I attended to earlier in the night.

Maria & Enzo's - The place looks great. It recreates the look of an airport from the Golden Age of aviation. Think Pan Am. Howard Hughes. Indiana Jones. Now the dimensions are off. The "waiting room" would never be a sunken, open dining room the size of a small arena. But, the iconography is there. As is a separate pizzeria/cafe (why is a cafeteria called that? Coffee +?) and a cellar dining room. The last one didn't carry out the "airport" design. It was modeled after one of those wine cellars that often get turned into trattorias. We showed up really late. Around 11pm. And in flip flops and shorts. They still seated us. The hostess station is a boarding gate. We were the only ones in the whole place. My buddy just had calamari because he ate at an open bar that we were at before we made it here. It was $16. It was ok. I just had something called Ncasciata for $23. Uncle Google says it's Sicilian. It was basically a lasagna. It was ok. Served in a metal cooking apparatus. I hazily recollect that the menu was small. 4 or 5 entrees. I think my dish was the cheapest. I don't recall any problems with the service. I think they might have been Italian even. At least some of them. And that's all I have to say about that. I wish we hadn't been so tardy to the party. But, that wasn't my doing. We had to wait for the office function (really just the auction results) to transpire. I popped in earlier in the day to peruse and was impressed. If the food is anywhere near as good as the interior design then they will have a great one two punch. If not, you probably can't lose at the pizzeria. They are run by the people who run the Morimoto Asia spot. I applaud the resources they must have expended bringing this place to life. It's hard to recreate without insulting the original. I don't think they have. And that's not the tequila, wine and beer talking.

The Edison - This place is right next door and also just opened. It's "thing" is steam punk. Think The Time Machine. The book by HG Wells or the movie with simian Brad Pitt - Guy Pearce. It looks like a 1800's power plant. A large gear works replica greets you when you enter. The hostess station is on the right. Then you descend steps that lead to various bar areas. We settled on the lowest level because that is where the floor show (and most of the sparse crowd) was. The entertainment is now free, but, I think I read that they are going to charge $10 (after 10pm) at some point. The whole place is "differentingly" impressive from M & E. You also get transported being here. They also spared no expense. The liquor selection is on display and it's pretty impressive. The menu was small and uninspiring. And expensive. I'd do what we did. Go for drinks and maybe the entertainment. My biggest fear for them is that Disney killed all the adult fun from this area when the closed Pleasure Island. We LEFT at midnight because it was empty. If they don't try harder to provide a better culinary product, I fear they won't survive. The bar crowd isn't there.

Cafe Rio, Winter Park - Closed

Ok I'll tell you about my primary destination on Friday. even though I missing out on some exhilarating women's speed skating by doing so. Plus I want to brag about my ski trip to Utah. I saw this place driving down North Orlando Ave about a month ago. I said "Great another mediocre (I used another term) Mexican place I have to suffer through". However, when I was in Utah, I saw that this place is a Utah (original is in St George) fast food chain. So, at worst it won't cost much. If I hadn't already stopped at Tamale Co, I would have gone for the burrito meal. Ninety percent of their menu is composed of five Mexican staples (ie quesadilla) served with rice and beans. I already had a full lunch awaiting me. I went with two tacos ala carte. Even that was too much. These guys are big. They serve them in a soft tortilla that they make right in front of you. They had salmon in Utah. Not here. Just pork, beef, chicken and vegan. I settled on barbacoa pork and roasted beef. Both were flavorless. The beef came in a cloying sweet sauce that isn't appropriate for Mexican food. Another mistake centered on the cheese. They melt it into the tortilla. There is no contrast. It's soft warm cheese on a soft warm tortilla. I want cold cheese. For texture and contrast. You can also get pico, lettuce and sour cream for free. The pico was gutless. No zing. I tried adding bottled hot sauce from my purse. Hah! Caught you. I don't have a purse or yell in movie theaters. They provide. That just made it worse. The tacos cost $3.50. The tortillas were a little thick and buttery for my taste. The place was packed. I think they opened in July. It has a fast food look. You move along an assembly line. They said they are opening up a dozen or so in the area soon. Most meals cost $10. The same as Chipotle. I'll go back for a smothered burrito. That can be "all hot and mushy" in my mind for some reason. I like their approach to a ubiquitous dining option. I even think these recipes are how they do Mexican in Utah. I've had a few Mexican meals (ie Red Iguana) in Utah and they had "weird" sauce toppings on the menu. It's worth a trip to see them make tortillas. I wonder if the name will confuse people. Will they think it's Brazilian? Will people say "I got Dia-rio"?

Tamale Co, Altamonte Springs - Moved

I stopped here looking to knock out a new bacon place (Sugar Sow) one my way to my primary destination. This was at lunch on Friday. I found this. The "here" in question is that sketchy Citgo station aside the train tracks on 436. The "this" is a brick and mortar outpost of the titled food truck. I sacked up and ordered a real meal for you people. I had the mole tamales (also for you people and because it is called Tamale Co) with rice and beans for $11. They give you two tamales. I think a single was $7 or $9. You can't avoid the rice and beans. They were pretty good. A little too fluffy and white corn for me. I like a denser (lard) tamale made of yellow corn. The filling was shredded chicken. It was a bit dry. Fairly liberal portion. The sauce was pretty good. A dark mole. A bit too much burnt flavor for me. The rice (orange) was moist and fluffy. A tiny scoop. The black beans were soft and creamy. I usually want to throw the rice and beans away, but, these were not just cheap filler. The tamales were served atop the corn husk they were steamed in. They also serve breakfast items, tacos, sincronizadas, nacho style fries and a surprising list of other items. The pricing is food truck ambitious. I think a taco was $3.50. The place is closet small. No indoor seating. This place has been a host of things and they usually put a counter between you and the kitchen. These guys threw up a wall. So, the place is half as big as it ever was. They decorated it artistically. It looks cute. The food came out fast. It seemed to be a destination already. Two groups of young urban professionals (foodie types) book ended my order. They were not there by accident. They sought this place out. Which is promising because they have been there for only one month and there is precious little signage attracting you from the street. I'd guess they get updates from the food truck's social media accounts. I almost went back on Saturday. I chose to give 4 Rivers another chance. Big mistake.

*That Sugar Sow place was emptied out and had a notice from the inspectors office citing violations. I'm not sure if they ever opened (the citation was dated that day) or if they did and were immediately shut down. They were supposed to open this month. Like I said, the place looked cleaned out. I'm not sure if they came or are coming back.

Pizzeria Roberti, East Curry Ford Rd Area - Closed

I tried this NY Style pizza parlor at dinner last week. It is in a strip mall behind a gas station that is at the intersection of Curry Ford Rd and South Chickasaw Trail. I grabbed a regular pie to go for $13. It was good. A bit too Americanized (mostly because of the cheese), but, better than most. The base was thin. The crust was restrained. The chew was good. No bubbles. The cheese was distributed evenly. The sauce was a bit salty. The pie was large. The owner/chef told me he uses a flour (not double zero) from some manufacturer that I can't remember. It was a good sign that he knew. He said he uses San Marzzano tomatoes for the sauce. I would guess he uses canned SMs. I would have preferred that he left them as is. No seasoning. I would also have liked a better quality of cheese. And maybe a little basil and olive oil. However, that is more of a European style. I think pizza is all the do. They had a few interesting combos/riffs. However they started approaching the $20 mark. They sell slices at under $3. I was going to go that route, but, I figured I owed it to you to try a fresh pie. The place is small. it seats about a dozen. It is new. It looks trendy enough. The chef/owner is a young kid from suburban Queens. His last name is Roberti. The place has been open for around seven months. It's the sort of pizza that I think most people would really enjoy. My shuttle driver at the airport did. I couldn't eat it all myself. I tried. They are closed on Sunday and Monday.

*There is also a little gastro pub in this mall.

Grub Crawl - College Park: Zeytin, Tornatore's (Closed/Moving) and Mee Thai

I was in the area for a supposed birthday celebration at a local bar (the only reason I'd be there), but, one should never trust pot heads. Therefore, I ended up trying these places instead. The first is on Edgewater Dr between Lee Rd and College Park. The next is a little closer to CP. The last is on Lee Rd (ex Colombian place) in between Edgewater and I-4 (the obstacle course).

Zeytin Turkish Cuisine - The guy/girl at Orlando Weekly put them on a best list. I have some standards. It stunk. The wine was spoiled. The lamb was overcooked. The menu was cliche. The neighborhood is bad. The venue is unappealing. The main problem is probably lack of staff. The food took a while to come out. There were only thirty or so (40 max) people at dinner (their only service). I would wager that one guy (Zeytin?) is cooking everything. Not only can't he keep up (people were complaining about the wait), he can't oversee his own dishes. My Lamb Beyti (some kind of enchillada-like minced lamb kebab wrap that I've never heard of) was way over cooked. Not much flavor. Only one kebab at $18. I've never had less than three kebabs at this price point. It came with mushy rice and a bowl of raw onion and a bowl of tomato and cucumber salad. That must be the trade off. The rest of the menu is a too typical mix of cold sides/apps and skewered options. They offer one fish (the very Turkish salmon) that I overheard was AWOL. The decor is just hookahs and plates and rugs nailed to the wall. It still has the yellow paint job from the last place (Woodys?). There is a lame fish tank in the corner. Everyone gets a view of the kitchen/staging area. There was little reason to seek this place out (especially for dinner) other than good food at good prices. It has neither. The guy/girl at the Weekly has an Arab sounding name. Now either he/she is a total "homer" graded on a curve or he/she has got special attention or he/she has no business recommending restaurants. This is not the first dog he/she has approved of. Skip. Not even good if adjusted for the type of cuisine it is.

Tornatore's Cafe and Pizzeria - I grabbed a medium pie to go after being stiffed by my "buddies". I didn't want to have to come back to this area for a while, so, I tried anything that seemed undone. I believe I ignored it when it was Cafe Positano (because I had been to others). The partners split and they renamed it this. Apparently, they were on Restaurant Impossible with the 'roid monster and terrible talk show host Robert Irvine (who probably has a small penis because of his over sized corpus and Asian wife). Whatever they did (you see the interior design redo - wood paneling, paint job and salad tongs on the wall), didn't stick. The pizza was bad. Cheap cheese. Very salty. Almost no sauce. The sauce was salty and garlic-y. Uneven topping distribution. Too much crust. Bubbles. Too chewy. Slightly under cooked. No surprise. I watched them bake it in a basic steel box. They moved it around once. And that was once more than most of the other pizzas they made. They have been there for 8 years (3 under this name). The locals who came in seemed to like it. I'd bet that that is less of a certification than an indictment of their sophistication. Maybe another meal would be good. A rigatoni alla massimo sounded nice. The menu looked ok. It is a little expensive though. The medium pizza cost $10. A full Chicken Parm sandwich (most sandwiches) cost $11. I don't see a second seating in my future. Hard to be worse than Cafe Positano. Mission Possible.

Mee Thai - Somehow this bad smelling basic Thai restaurant ended up crafting the best meal of night. I had your basic Red Chicken Curry with rice to go at $11. It was very sweet and not hot (or very red) at medium. The chicken was fresh and white and plentiful. Zucchini, carrots, basil and peppers rounded out the components. The rice was mushy. It really was no different than any other Thai place in town. Same prices. Same dishes. But, the neighborhood stinks and the place is ugly. I mentioned the smell? I don't see them surviving. Too expensive for the 'hood. Too drab to attract outsiders. A shame because the kitchen isn't the issue. They have been open for three months. People seemed nice. They say that the are "the best Esan Thai food". I searched it and there are some "Esan" Thai restaurants but no Esan regions. There is a Isan language near Laos. Now I'm missing something or this is one of the most wonderful ESL mistakes (Asian?) that I've come across on a menu. Maybe they should work for the local news? I saw a "Pheonix" spelling two nights ago.

*I do have to compliment the Weekly for the list they compiled of restaurants that are opening in 2018. Great work.

Grub Crawl - Winter Park: Sausage Shack (Closed), CFS Coffee and The Glass Knife

I tried these three spots yesterday at lunch. The first two are on New England Ave in Hannibal Square and the last is on South Orlando Ave in between Lee rd and Fairbanks.

Sausage Shack - I had a cotton candy dog (you heard right) for $6. It was a smoked polish kielbasa atop of a plume of home spun cotton candy (blue or pink) and a bun. They added sweet hot mustard for flavor. It was the most inventive hot dog recipe I have ever had. It looked remarkable. The sausage was great. The cotton candy was a bit obtrusive, but, fun. I'm not sure it complemented the dog that much. The bun didn't hold up. But who cares? It was a hot dog with cotton candy! Talk about "a beautiful mind". They serve five other dogs (bangers and mash, choripan, donut, chicago style and chicken and waffles), salads and sandwiches.  Those are more traditional (except for a jack fruit sandwich). You can also build your own. Hot dogs range from $6-$9. Salads are $6. Sandwiches are $9. They also have sides (mashed potatoes and gravy, chili, potato salad, chips and fruit salad). Plus desserts and breakfast items. It's located in that kiosk (of death) near Pepe's. The owners are two English guys. It appears that they cook much of the menu to order. They don't just assemble. They have been open for six weeks. I just wrote in the "favorites" post that we needed a hot dog joint or two. Wish granted. If I lived in the neighborhood I would eat here once a week. Will be on the Favorites list for 2018 (if they last). Can't wait to see what they dream up next.

CFS Coffee - It is down the street from Sausage Shack. They have been there for two years. It is a little coffee shop with some desserts and snacks. I had a coffee for $2.30 and a pandebono (Colombian cheese roll) for $2.50. Both were fresh.

The Glass Knife - I had lunch and some sweets to go here. They have a small menu (soup, club sandwich, two or three salads - I'd like to try the salmon nicoise). I had the egg salad sandwich on a multi-grain croissant for $9. It came with some home made sweet pickles and terra chips. It was ok. First multi-grain croissant. The egg salad was over mayo'd and seemed liked it was made with those "eggs" in a tube. The vegetables toppings weren't fresh. I also grabbed a pistachio tea cake for $5 and a birthday cake for $48. The latter looked great. It had a red glaze that looked like melted wax. It was streaked with white and topped with fresh berries. The inside was a complicated assortment of levels. There was some kind of hard jelly and a lemon meringue and some yellow cake and other elements. It made an impression on the party at the party. Their sweets are what they seem to be about. They had twinkies and donuts and ring dings and cookies - etcetera etcetera, They have a patio dining area and inside dining room. The inside is composed of one nook, four banquettes and a communal tables. You order at the counter and they serve. They have a surprising amount of staff. Dressed up. Cute. The color motif is black and gold. They have white marble floors. They sell wine and other knick knacks. They have been open for two months. I was the only dude there. It's near the Burger King or Rocco's. It's the only location. It's worth a visit. They need to shower the same attention on the lunch items for it to be a "favorite". But close.

2017 Favorites List

It wasn't a banner year at the Bender household. It wasn't hard to cull the herd. Some made it strictly on food. Some on value. Some on holistic grounds. Some on attitude. Some would have been on if they didn't blow a second visit. I didn't really try too many really expensive places. A few of the $$$ could cost you $$$$ if you order foolishly. But, that is on you. The one thing I did notice is that there is still a real lack of good Chinese (especially Dim Sum) and hot dog joints. Pizza and taco and gyro (and lately poke) places seem to be soaking up all the oxygen.

$$$$ - None

$$$ - Slate, Luke's Kitchen and Bar, Mesa 21, Millenia 106 (closed)

$$ - Cavera, Taste of Peru, Daytona Pig Stand, The Waterfront, Joyful Garden, Gyu-Kaku, Barnwood BBQ (Eustis), Smokehouse on 46

$ - The Gourmet Muffin, Oh My Gyro, Wondermade

Four Rebels Kitchen & Bar, Mills Ave - Closed

I had dinner at this new (two month) eclectic taco bar on Saturday. It is is in the old Segafreddo location in the marketplace on Mills that abuts Virginia. Next to Brass Tap. It is what you'd expect from a played out genre. Now we are past the "authentic" phase and into the "gimmick" phase. They are trying to concoct "funky" taco combinations. The problem is that anything really creative probably would be a step to far for most customers. I would suggest (since they seem to be aping white trash culture) squirrel or frogs leg or gator or turducken tacos. But who (besides me) would be interested in trying that kind of cousin lovin' fare? More than once? What they do have is a little dull. They lead with a cheeseburger taco that isn't ground beef but cheeseburger pieces. I didn't try it because it sounds kind of stupid. I did force myself to try a KFT Taco for $4. It was a combo of fried chicken, mashed potatoes and cole slaw. I liked it. The chicken (slice of white meat) was moist and well crisped. The slaw was good. The mash was a little lost. The taco was huge. But, this was the safest one. And I like weird. Will others? I also had two things from the appetizer part of the menu. A pretty good BLT Tostada for $6 and a plate of meatballs for $6. Once again, both portion sizes were large. The tostada was more like a huarache. They piled four and a half slabs of pork belly on it. The belly was overcooked for a gourmet, but, most people would probably prefer that it not be as soft and fatty. I think they deep fried theirs. It was a little dry and very crisp. A little too manhandled to rate as a triumph from a culinary perspective. But, I'd eat it like a dog eats pig's ears all day long. The meatballs were the worst of the three. Three medium size meatballs that were a bit too much on the Italian side for a purported taco bar. They had alot of bread crumb in the recipe and they fried them Italian style. They were served in a red sauce. It didn't help that they served all three dishes at once on a wintery might when they had the doors and walls open. All the dishes got cold quickly. The meatballs suffered the most. Though I did grab a bite of each once they were set down and still hot. The rest of menu was pretty forgettable since it appears I can't really remember anything from it other than nachos and an out of place beef short rib. I would have ordered that, but, I felt I owed it to you to try the taco type stuff since the place says it is a taco kitchen.

They didn't do much to the bones of the place. They changed the iconography and the murals. Now we have murals of American historical figures. Although, they do the whole "every group gets a shout out" cultural/historical equivalency PC thing. The roof deck is still open. They still have a bar downstairs. They have those tailgating games outside, It seats about ninety. It was about one quarter full. Service was polite.

I like how they are attacking an over saturated market, but, I don't see why they felt the need to. Are there no other lands to conquer? Why is humanity always fighting over the same turf. Go out and chart a new course. Or wait until the other combatants have cleared the field. There really was no need for another taco joint. It's hardly rebellious to follow the crowd. More like stupid. Maybe it should have benn called Four Rebos (I can't remember why, but, I remember they used to call retards rebos in my elementary school)?

*A little side question: why does Kirstin Delgado sound like she learned to speak at the Trisha Takanawa (Family Guy) School of Elocution? I swear a producer scolded her once for speaking to Hispanicly and this is her passive aggressive response. A bunch of girls speak this way on that news channel. I wonder if the producer is some old timer that thinks this is how news people should talk? Can some one at the station pull an "WNBC"-like insurrection at some point?

Norman's, Ritz Carlton Grande Lakes - Moved to Dr Phillips

I tried this "new world cuisine" restaurant last Saturday night. It was thirteen years in the making. When I first moved down permanently, I asked a service worker what the best restaurant in town was. She said Norman's. I've made frustrated attempts in the past to dine here. I've rewritten its name on every iteration of my "to try" lists. It has been a thorn in my side. It's in nowheresville. It's hard to find. There is no direct exit off ramp moving west. Getting back east on I4 is a circuitous affair. They don't serve lunch. Roads are always under construction around it. It just never happened. And now it has. And I kind of wish it hadn't.

The food was prepared properly. The service was impeccable. The setting is fairly nice. The ingredients are top notch. It's Norman that is the problem. His menu stinks. You's have to be a Psycho (or mother of) to enjoy it. There's not much of it and what there is of it is over crafted and poorly conceived. Usually the executive chef sets out an exciting blueprint and the kitchen screws it up. This is one of the rare cases where the opposite is true. And it is surprising because I liked his 1921 concept. I'll be more specific in the next paragraph, but, it doesn't help that his "thing" is Caribbean cuisine. Where is that fine dining? You can't "fuse" it enough. It is too bold. Too simplistic. And the "traditional" half of the twenty or so item menu is boring by hotel restaurant standards (ie filet mignon, waygu, chicken, pork). The special was wreckfish. Which is just stone bass. There is also a tapas section. Tapas are played. And kind of a third wheel.

I settled one three starters because I didn't really want anything on the menu. It was either ridiculously overpriced (like a $50+ filet) or didn't do anything for me. The $90+ tasting menu was little more than the same dishes and a dessert at the same price as if you ordered them ala carte. I started with half portion of foie gras (1) on a "french toasted" brioche atop caramel sauce for $15. The brioche fell apart. The dish was sooo cloyingly sweet. Brioche AND caramel? Why no powdered sugar? The slippery "whole" liver nearly slid off. Maybe that is why they need the caramel sauce? You couldn't taste the liver at all. It was mushy liver on mushy bread on mushy sauce. Sweet on sweet. Is he the only chef that hasn't heard of levels of flavor and contrast? Never mind complimentary flavor. I believe the liver was a duck liver (not goose) by the size. There were other forgettable components to the dish (and the others). Remember I said these dishes are over crafted. The second dish was another cavity inducer. A  $18 conch chowder. I think he meant conch gelato. Think of the sweetest she crab soup and double it. It tasted like a milkshake. It was nicely presented in a bowl full of vegetables that the waiter poured the liquid into from a kettle. But the conch was FRIED and dry and did nothing for me. Less than nothing. It annoyed me. Who doesn't know that fried items become mushy when exposed to liquid? Who wants mush? The last dish was the best. It was a 2 scallop dish ($18) atop Anson Mills grits with tomato. The grits were phenomenal. More like what he does at 1921. The scallops were topped with annotta seed dust (aka achiote) and seared perfectly. This simple little riff (scallops for shrimp) is all he has to do. How about a stone crab chowder like I just had in The Keys?

As I said the service was great. Everybody is dressed to the nines and their "section" consists of only four or five tables. They could have been slightly more present. I don't know why they disappeared when they did. There was a little conflict on when they were ready for me and when I was ready for them. In general I think a wait staff should recede after the table is seated and then be very present when the table has probably had time to make their decisions. Is anyone that prepared for questions as soon as they sit down? Does anyone need a drink order filled that fast? I think we want to settle and then we want attention after that. That said, they covered for each other. Plates didn't linger on the table. They spaced out the timing of the dishes. They took questions and made small talk. They gave space. They weren't too pushy with the recommendations or add ons.

The space is nice. Not memorable. Classic. Marble floors. You enter through a long hall. High (maybe too) ceilings. A circular layout. A sem-private room in the middle (surrounded by glass and wood wine storage cases). Windows along the exterior. Soft lighting. Maybe too soft to read the menu. I can't remember if there was music. The plates and cutlery were high end. The crowd was mixed. Probably many tourists. Dress was very casual. The wine list was good.

All in all, I wouldn't go back for a second turn. I live in Florida so the "Florida-ribbean" cuisine doesn't excite me as much as it might a tourist. I've had wreckfish TACOS in New Smyrna. Conch isn't an extravagance. I can get empanadas everywhere. And I hated most of the concoctions he constructed. I will say that I think he can do well. I like 1921 and that is experimental and over dreamed up. I guess there is more margin for error with Southern cuisine. And maybe even that home spun stuff "fuses" better than Caribbean? Plus it is less of a hassle to get to (even if it is in Mt Dora). I would say that you should skip it (because of price, menu and isolation) unless you are already staying at the Ritz.

Lemon Shark Poke, Dr Phillips Area - Closed

While down around Universal last Saturday, I was going to try and get dinner to go at a place called Boca Grill (or something). It looked like I should do it justice with a proper sit down experience, so, I switched gears and grabbed a snack at this place in the same marketplace. It is in that area at Sand Lake and Dr Phillips that has WOB and Morton's steakhouse. It (same owners) replaces a Mexican place that I reviewed a year ago. It is another passenger on the poke bandwagon. It seemed a little fresher than the one I reviewed near Red Bug Lake. They have eleven choices (ahi, spicy tuna, salmon, spicy salmon, miso glazed salmon, squid, tofu, shrimp, albacore, octopus, scallop). You then add some toppings and a sauce. $9 to $14. I only had a Spam Musubi ($3.55) because whatever I tried was going to have to wait until lunch the next day and I figured this was cheap and would hold up the best. I did try it the next day on my way to The Keys and it was good. The rice was dry (I tried some the day of and it was dry then too), but, it was easy to handle while driving. For those who don't know, a Musubi is like a big piece of sushi. Hawaiian places (even McDonald's) usually serve them. Spam isn't that terrible and a kick to order. They also made it fresh to order. The place also serves katsu. I just learned that katsu should be fried twice. Once at a high heat (to lock in or out whatever needs to be) and then longer at a lower heat. I doubt a place like this (or any place in town) does that. But, start annoying all katsu serving places with this bit of knowledge. For me? I have little else. They also have a few apps. and they have an ok craft beer selection and wine and sake. It's probably superior that that other one (Da Kine?). The place looks clean and modern and uncluttered. It is fast casual. I don't think it is a chain. They opened five months ago.

9 Spices Hot Pot, Universal Studios Area - Closed

I tried this Chinese hot pot (they say fondue) place on South Kirkman last Saturday at lunch. It charges a flat rate of $25 every day. It is all you can eat (in two hours). I was expecting this to be a cheap meal in a bowl place, but, challenge accepted. Though my stomach was not ready for battle (the flu shrunk it up), I still managed to down a pound of shrimp (7 plates of three to four 26-28 count shrimp), 5 plates of beef brisket, 2 plates of lamb brisket, 1 plate of tofu, 1 plate of enoki mushrooms and 1 plate of squid. They all come around via a conveyor belt. That makes two forms of entertainment with your meal. The shrimp seemed fresh and I had no intestinal issues after eating here. They were grey. I just learned that this color shrimp is a winter shrimp (thank you Chef and Farmer tv show). They cook fast. Watch that you don't spray hot innards liquid all over when you pop their cap. The beef brisket was way more fresh than I expected. Nice marbling too. Frozen and sliced paper thin. Addictive. The lamb was equally good and similarly prepared. The tofu was tofu. The enoki was fresh and served in a heap. The squid was the one failure. Fishy smelling and tasting. Although, it also did not cause intestinal issues. You choose one of six or so broths. I chose a spicy (to your level) chicken broth. I think they just squirted some sriracha in it. There is a heater on the table (actually four for four people). They come by and refill the broth when it gets low. They also have a sauce bar. I didn't see the need. The menu items are pervasive. I didn't try most. Some like the clams seemed too risky. The place seats about one hundred. Most of the crowd was Asian. The servers were Hispanic. The place is an old fast food restaurant. They have some cute murals. TVs. It still doesn't look high end though. The Halloween candy (and regular) buckets hanging from the ceiling don't help/ For leaks? Or just forgotten about? They have been open for ten months, They are off I-4 right before the hill after Vineland. Look for the McDonald's. $25 is a little steep if you aren't a glutton. I think other hot pot places charge $3 a plate. Make sure you can down eight plates. A can of soda was $1.50. I think they had sake and wine and beer. I would go again. Fresh-ish seafood, all you can eat, fondue cauldron, food zipping all around me. That equals a party. Just have to stretch out that stomach before my next encounter.

*Orlando Weekly called this area Metro West. I believe that area doesn't start until farther down Kirkman.

Grub Crawl - Winter Park: P is for Pie (Closed), Soho Juice Co. (Closed) and Kava Cove Lounge

The first spot is more accurately in Audubon Park. The second is on S.Orlando near Fairbanks. The third is on Fairbanks near Hunger Street Tacos. I tried them yesterday.

P is for Pie - P is for pathetic in that I'm pathetic for having missed out on them for the four years they have been in business. They sell pies and other goodies. I bought a Turducken savory hand pie for $7 and an Apple hand pie for $4.50. Both were great. Croissant like (a little harder) crust. Fresh filling. Well made. The Turducken had nice chunks of turkey and shredded chicken (not weeks old like New City Cafe) and possibly duck (it was hard to spot at the rate I was devouring it). There were also a few peas and a side of gravy. Mostly meat though. The apple pie had sugar melted into the crust. Very tasty. Smaller than the meat pie. They both even survived the ride home, a stint in the refrigerator and the microwave. Probably alot better fresh out of the oven. Any place that lets me celebrate the legacy of John Madden (feeds my soul) and feeds my hierarchy of needs is good by me. Even the to go boxed were quality. The place looks cute. It's near Sushi Lola and Redlight Redlight on Corrine. They had breakfast pies too.

Soho Juice Co. - Not Company. Co.! They started in Tampa. This is their only CF store. They opened in September. They sell overpriced juice (already packaged) and acai bowls. I didn't catch the price of the bowls, but, the beet juice was $10! Do I have to tell you what I think about that? The place looks like a White Castle. I was the only customer. Employee wasn't even at the counter, so, maybe I was the first for o while. The juice is in a big glass refrigerator section. There was one of those rental locks on the door. Maybe they're already going under?

Kava Cove Lounge - Another pointless psuedo-medicine (high) purveyor. I grabbed a small kombucha (citrus and ginger) to go for $5. It tasted like Fresca. The place is a stoner (or whatever they call kava and kombucha addicts) "bar". It has a pool table and and a bar top. Even a tap. The kombucha kept me up for most of the night. I'll stick with bars that serve fire water. They opened in April. It's in between a cake store and a massage parlor. Before 4 Rivers from I-4.

Kadence, Audubon Park

I tried this reservation only Japaneses omikase reboot of Kappo yesterday at lunch. It opened in October. I "snuck" into their "reservation only" Kappo once before, so, I thought I would give it a try here on such a cold day and it worked. I grabbed a seat at the second lunch seating. It began at a little after 1pm. I believe it cost around $55. They don't provide physical checks. I think my initial total was around $59. I believe that included a hot tea that was supposed to be a cold tea. The final total was $74 and if you work backwards the minimum 20% tip and 6% sales tax gets you back to a starting point around $60. Yelp says it is a twelve course tasting menu. I think it's ten sushi pieces and a soup and dessert (macha dusted chocolate truffle and yuzu cookie). Let's see if that is right. I had: a type of Jack (Skip?), Amber Jack, Horse Mackerel, Sea Trout, 2 Big Eye Tuna, Blue Crab, Striped Bass, Sea Urchin and Salmon. Plus a fish soup and a dessert plate. Seems right. Now we can quibble about the way they flavor the different fish (I prefer to have them as is), but, you can't complain about the quality. Everything is fresh as can be. It also doesn't hurt that the selection is a bit esoteric from what they offer in most sushi places in town. Now this play list isn't THAT unusually, but, you can see that it could become adventurous with the seasons. I can't remember every combinations, but, (I believe); the salmon had tobiko on it, the sea trout was heated and topped with a great garlic butter and walnut "sauce", the blue crab had salmon roe and dried sea weed on it. I can't remember the rest. Yuzu for sure on some. The main flaw was the rice. It was a bit too warm and a bit too mushy. But, it was weird. Half the grains were firmish and half seemed blown out. I'm not sure if it was an overcooking or over stirring issue. Maybe even and under stirring (residual heat/steam) issue. I only had a side bowl of rice at Kappo and I think that was cooked properly there. In any event, it forced me to compare it to Kappo. My larger sashimi meal there was around $40. And it also came with a soup and dessert. Now, $6 a piece ($60 divided by 10) isn't that outrageous for some of the delicacies (like uni), but, compared to the old place, it didn't quite measure up. Part of that is also out sized expectations and part is nostalgia. But, that is what the sequel has to deal with. I still like the Godfather better than Part Two even though it is thought to be inferior. The first iteration is always more fresh and exciting to me. You aren't ready for the trope. No matter how good the sequel is (Empire fans start squawking), you are always somewhat prepared for the experience..

I also didn't love that they are now using the most presumptuous "booking" application for reservations. I believe it is called Tock. It forces you to pay in advance for your meal. I know why restaurants love it and I realize that it is probably the future, but, it still challenges my manhood. Open Table and Resy (deposits) are bad enough. I would never use these apps. Thankfully, Kadence still allows you to "crash". They said they even keep an extra chair for Elijah. Just kidding. For a party crasher. And at least you probably won't be giving them a six month (if that is how far in advance you have to book) no interest loan like some places are getting. The 20% minimum gratuity is also a bit silly. The owners prepare the food. They are basically the only "staff". Just add it to the price of the meal if it isn't profitable enough for you. It really shouldn't be going to the one girl who brings in the drinks. That's not a twenty percent worthy contribution.

The place resides in the old Winter Park Brewery space across from Stardust Coffee. The public areas are all the way up front. There are two narrow rooms - the bar/waiting area on the right and the sushi counter on the left. The place is mostly modern and white on the inside. The outside was some kind of brown. They put the windows at foot to knee level for natural light and privacy reasons. They provide pillows for your back (wooden seats). You eat with your fingers (for the most part). The plate is slate. They have a little moist napkin in a bowl for clean up. They provide a glass of water. They encourage you to cleanse your palette with ginger after each piece.  Lunch takes place in over an hour. No dress code. The "core three" of Kappo are still gregarious and inspired. The meal is performance art. The atmosphere is intimate. They even solved the parking issue (never enough) by keeping the seatings at ten. They have a more substantial dinner service. They sell some of those fish filled rice triangles in the bar area. They have a funky half cold and half hot kappo meal on Sunday. They sell (via email) "leftovers" every Wednesday night. They are closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Wednesday is the prep day, so, I think that is why they do that "email sale" at that point. And I heard them chatting about "special" days. So, keep up with their social media accounts. *And it's social media accounts. Not "social media". It's not your "social media". It's your social media ACCOUNT! Learn grammar!

All in all, they are still very good. Whatever rice issue there was was probably a one time deal. I still would prefer to relive that $40 sashimi plate and the haphazard energy of the little food stall, but, we can't always get what we want. But. If you try sometimes. You get what you need.

*I just recalled that they also served a raw shrimp. I believe it was a sweet shrimp (amaebi)

New City Cafe, Lake Mary

I had lunch here on Monday. It is in that City Hall Square on Lake Mary Blvd. It is in the space that last housed Croissant Gourmet. They said they have been open for seven months. It seems exactly the same. The menu too. I remember sweets, sandwiches, hot drinks and I think crepes and breakfast. I had a Curry Chicken Salad Sandwich for $9. I'm surprised it didn't make me ill. The chicken was so hard and plastic-y that I wouldn't be surprised if they made it (or bought it) before Christmas. And they used every disgusting part of the chicken. I think I experienced skin. Cartilage at least. Talk about New Jacked City. They added no nuts and the fruit was scant. The side salad was the better part of the deal and I think they use grape seed oil in the dressing. It was so clear that it might have been lighter fluid. They even "buttered" the toast. Why? Do you think low quality margarine tastes good with curry? Do we need the extra calories? Nine bucks is also a bit presumptuous. I don't think I'll give them a second look. Too many warning signs.

*I also grabbed a small pizza at Flipper's (next door). I think I reviewed the Sand Lake one a while ago. If not, it's not worth the money. They aren't better than Domino's and I think $7 gets you a bigger pie or two.

**I want to submit a possible menu item to all the chefs out there. It's a solution to the muffin stump conundrum. What if we put a scoop of ice cream on top of the stump? And maybe cover it with a chocolate shell? And I guess it could alternatively be top with muffin top for a crazy ice cream sandwich. Maybe a cup cake ice cream sandwich as well?

Grub Crawl - UCF Area: Lucky's Market (Closed), Halal Guys (Closed) and 5 F(X)

I tried these spots on N. Alafaya Trail as part two of my lunch/dinner to go date on Monday. Part of the reason I ate so meekly in Winter Park. The first is in a strip mall at the south west intersection of 50 and Alafaya Trail. The second is farther down Alafaya towards Waterford Lakes. The third is next to the second.

Lucky's Market - This is a Whole Foods-esque type supermarket out of Boulder. I found the selection (though pup-ified) to be decent. Alot of "off/artisan" brands. A bigger wine and beer selection than World Market. Prices were cheaper than Publix on the few items I cared about looking into (papaya, rotisserie chicken and sushi). A weightier papaya was sold there at $4. Flat price. No by the pound. I spent $6 for a 2.5 lber (theirs were over 3lbs by eye) yesterday at Publix. A rotisserie chicken was $5. I'm pretty sure it's $2 more at Publix or even Winn Dixie. Sushi seemed a buck or so lower per container. I went there for a looky loo and for the $5 pizza deal (two slices and a beer). Italian was another thing I hadn't had in a while. The pizza (even slices with toppings) should have been better. They have a real pizza oven. I guess you can only rise so high if the dough and cheese are cheap. Plus the cheese ratio was too high. Tasted like a grilled cheese. You might like that. It was acceptable though. I grabbed a pepperoni and plain slice. They also let me sub out the beer for root beer. They opened around June. I think one more is on the way.

Halal Guys - They are a food cart in NYC. I couldn't make out from the blown up photos on the wall if I have ever had the pleasure. A quick perusal of my food journal (yes I keep one for trips) and my travel guide (yes I keep a photo journal on my phone) yielded no evidence that I had. Perhaps I tried them when I lived there. There are alot of carts doing what they do. I just searched them for you and they are at 53rd and Sixth. I just might have. Anyway. This is their first brick and mortar in CF. I think they might be a franchiser if you can believe it. They offer just a few things. Sandwiches. Platters. Sides. Desserts. Beef or chicken (or a mix) or falafel. Hummus and baba ghanouj as sides. And baklava as dessert. That's it. I had a "mixed" gyro for $7 and an order of two falafel for $2. The sandwich was served on a thick pita. The beef was "loafy" and bland. The chicken had more texture and flavor. Both we pre-shaved. A no no in my book. The falafel was ok. It was also not fried in front of me. I kind of expected more from all the hoopla I had heard about them. They offer a white a red (very hot) sauce. I chose both and onions. It comes with lettuce and tomato and anything (ie jalapenos, olives, hummus) else is extra. I think I like the gyro place (was it Oh My Gyro?) in Longwood better. Seemed tastier. Fresher. But, they aren't bad. Prices are good. I'm not sure if it is destination. The place looks like subway sandwich shop. Meaning it is clean with little character. Service was fast. It opened in September.

5 F(X) Ice Cream - This was a chance encounter, but, I think I liked this place the best. Part of the reason I don't use "dating" apps. No surprises. Or at least ones that are pleasant. They make their own ice cream and taiyaki. Not pour candy into ice cream and blend it. They MAKE milk and soy based ice cream in front of you while you wait. And they make a pancake like dessert for you as well. It can be stuffed. It can be sweet or savory. I didn't comprehend the extent of the ice cream service until I was on the way out. I ordered a taiyaki stuffed with apples and cinnamon for $2 just to order something. I know Tai means red snapper in Japanese and Yaki usually means something fried (like Takoyaki - fried octopus balls). I believe this food category is called this because they mold the batter into the shape of a cartoonish fish. Probably a red snapper. The woman behind the counter wasn't Japanese and didn't know. The taiyaki was good. Fresh. Duh. I was just expecting a batter with apple and cinnamon flavor. It had real filling. If it took less time, McDonald's could/should emulate them. They also had other combos. Even one with a hot dog. I also think they had other items. Maybe milkshakes and a few other things. The place looks a little messy in the "cooking" area. The walls are filled with Polaroid shots of customers and not much else. The curb appeal could be improved. They have been open for three years. A nice break from the norm.

Grub Crawl - Winter Park: Wonton, Tea and Tea and Mon Petit Cheri

I was going to go to OBT for some Mexican and Chinese because I hadn't had any in two weeks, but, I decided to knock these out while checking if a new spot on Park Ave was open yet. It isn't. The first place is at the intersection of 17-92 and Fairbanks. The second is behind the 7-11 on Fairbanks and Park. The third is at the first light on Park. I went to these places for lunch on Monday.

Wonton Asian Kitchen - I thought this would be a Pei Wei knockoff, but, it is a one off. They serve a medley of Asian dishes. Korean. Vietnamese. Japanese. Thai. Chinese. I just ordered two small dishes because this wasn't my final lunch destination. I had two pork dumplings for $2 and a Chickity something or other Summer Roll for $2.50. I was going to try chicken lettuce wraps, but, they were out of them. I like that they have small portion sizes. Usually you have to order 5 to 9 dumplings and a pair of rolls. The way they are set up, you can try a bunch of things. The dumplings were ok. They had a thin skin. They were steamed. One was split open. The roll was mostly vegetables. The chicken was barely discernible. These items were starters. They have more of these and soup. They also have about a dozen entrees. even bahn mi. The design is a step above a fast casual place. The floor plan is open. They have brick walls. The kitchen is exposed. They opened three weeks ago. I would try them again.

Tea and Tea - I grabbed a Waikiki cold tea for $4. It tasted like Sunny D. Had slices of orange, lemon and apple. Is apple a Hawaiian delicacy? They also serve milk tea and one other kind (can you tell this isn't my bag?). You can add boba to the teas. They used to be in the Winter Park Village. They have been here for one month. Was B Cupcakes.

Mon Petit Cheri - I've been to this location before. I hope I reviewed that place and not this. I forgot to check. They are mainly a French inspired breakfast and lunch spot. Nothing too fancy. Crepes. Burgers. Sandwiches. Pizza. Salads. Quiche. Breakfasts. Pastries. Hot Drinks. I had the poached eggs and bacon on an English muffin. The eggs were over cooked. The bacon was crisp. The muffin (sour dough) was under toasted. Not a strong showing for how long it took to get out. It cost $8.50. It came with a side of fresh fruit. I'll trade you the fruit for $3 of 4 back in my wallet. The place was dependent on natural light and as such was gloomy. Can't imagine it on a cloudy day. They have a few seats out front and a patio in back. There is an indoor area in between. A few small tables, the register and a bar. Decoration is an afterthought. They are open from 7ish to 4pm every day. They stay open for a dinner on Friday. They have been there for three years. A fine place if you want a little French comfort food. The chef/owner apparently has won some recent contest for best dessert.

*I wanted Mexican or Chinese because I was in New Zealand for the last two weeks and didn't trust them on Mexican and just didn't order much Chinese. I ate alot of sushi, salmon and meat pies. Some new experiences and popular items were: mussel pattie/fritter, marmite, gunard, elephant fish, toasted sandwiches, smoked mussels, oysters, fish cake, venison salami and an ice cream sandwich of macaroons. I never tried fresh crayfish (lobster) or the blue cod they were raving about. I also tried my first Sri Lankan dish (I think). It was called Kottu Rottich. I also had something called Tulsi Murtabak. It wasn't my first try, but, I had Hokkien Mee (Malay/Singapore Chinese dish named after a province). Little sushi places were everywhere. You moved down a line and paid by the piece. They also had almost every fast food franchise (including Pita Pit). I had a meat pie at McDonald's. Mostly gravy.

Willie's Pinchos, East Colonial

I tried this Puerto Rican spot on Golden Rod near 50 on Sunday night. It was the Fieri "book end" to my trip out of town in that they were featured on an episode of Triple D that aired last year at this time. I haven't seen it as yet and didn't know that when I went here. I saw them when I tried that Mexican place a few months back. It was always closed when I have tried them since that visit. I had a pernil sandwich for $9. It was pulled pork and mayo an lettuce and tomato. It was ok. The pork was too salty. The portion was a bit skimpy. I think they wet down the meat with the saved marinade and pork drippings. I think that is kind of a cheat. The meat should retain that juice with constant basting. It shouldn't be "refreshed" before serving. Plus, I don't need it that soggy. The meat also had a bone in it. How non-observant do you have to be to miss a big round bone while portioning out an inch of pork? I, also, don't love sweet mayo with the sweet/savory pork. It's too "one note". It needs something spicy or vibrant or both. The bun/roll was excellent. I think most of the pernils I've had were pressed. This wasn't. It came with crinkle cut fries. They were very crisp. The rest of menu is breakfast items, burgers, mofungo, skewers, hot dogs, sandwiches and sandwiches on fried tostones that I believe were called Jibertos. The sandwiches were near the top in price. They are open until 7pm most days (not Monday for now). The place seats only twenty or so. It looks like a tiny cantina. They used to be a food truck. I think they said they have been in this spot for a year. They are opening a new place in Kissimmee soon. I would go back to try something else. They were very nice and seemed to care about the quality of their food.

Grub Crawl - Disney Springs: Planet Hollywood, The Ganachery and Ghiradelli Chocolate

I ventured back to the Mouse Trap before heading to the airport around two weeks ago. I tried these spots at Disney Springs. Who knew that Guy Fieri would end up book ending my trip. But, more on that in the next post.

Planet Hollywood - I knew this would be an expensive waste of time and I was mostly right. I had a Plain Jane Cheeseburger for $18. And a coke was a mere $4. The cheeseburger was non-descript. I can barely remember it two weeks later. I bet the one at the burger restaurant a few yards away is better at half the price. And that is no bargain to start with. It came with a cone of mixed fries. Waffle. And I really can't remember the others. Maybe shoe string and curly? I think they had an offensive seasoning on them. The rest of the menu is so humdrum (and equally over-priced) that I think a room service waiter would be embarrassed to serve it. So, a perfect fit with Disney. The one "interesting" item was a fried lasagna something or other. I'm sure it is another Fieri fail (he supervised the re-do) though. Maybe Kat Cora can come in and try and make it healthy like she did at Taco Bell. Bring on all the celebrity douche bag sell outs. The service was lacking. The waitress was polite enough, but, the burger took a half hour to appear. I think the kitchen lost the order. Plus the hostess tried to seat me directly across the swinging door to the kitchen (with other low volume tables open). Nearly half of the area I was sitting in has a view of this eye sore. Nice design planning. And the door is really noticeable. One of those "old timey" doors you see on a ship or the interior of a hotel kitchen. Just terrible. Now, it has been like a decade since I was last in the old place, but, I think it used to be much bigger. Now it feels minuscule. I think they went in and up. The place has three of four levels. I think the old design was all open space. Only the bottom floor was open. It has "my area" at the entrance and a bar to the left and another seating area a step below. They still have the memorabilia (mostly costumes). They play music videos from movies (mostly-to all Disney owned). They have an outside bar called Stargazers (or maybe catchers) that rims the wall. I'm not sure if I understood that the old design was supposed to be an observatory or if they just re-imagined it as that now. That works. I guess it makes more sense than a steel globe. I'm not sure what it has to do with "the movies" (maybe it's supposed to be the Griffth Observatory (which it doesn't look like at all). I had a view of the gift shop (of course). Hard pass from me. I'll wait for the all you can eat free Fieri burger bar on my next cruise. They finally opened in June. I think.

The Ganachery - I'm not sure it deserves the "the", but, it was fine. They make chocolates on site. I had a coconut lollipop for a mere $6. It was described as having fresh coconut under the chocolate, but, it was mostly coconut flavor. You can by chocolates by the piece or by the box. Nice presentation (packaging). I'd save the cost and drop the price. But, I don't understand those who shop for their self-worth. They know their market.

Ghiradelli Chocolate - This place was further away from the newly renovated area. They make it look like an old fashioned ice cream parlor. I had a chocolate cone for $5. A big scoop of ordinary ice cream. It could have been any brand. Another time I've had Ghiradelli chocolate and wondered how they became famous for it. The are like Whitman's Sampler. Another mystery. Why haven't they been called out? You would think that the food snob mafia would have taken a baseball bat to this representative of middle class taste. They also have other desserts. You order at a register and pick it up at the counter. It has been there forever.

Gianni's, Mount Dora

I had dinner at this Italian restaurant today. It is on N. Alexander (one street closer to the lake). It was fine. The menu seemed ambitious yet accessible. I would give it higher marks if my meal was fine tuned. I had chicken prosciutto spinachi with a side of spaghetti for $18. The chicken and spaghetti were prepared properly. The sauce was a mess. It was a cream sauce. I think they used half and half or maybe just milk. The wine they used was stale and wasn't cooked off. I even think they used margarine. There were more than one "off" flavor. And there was way too much of it. A puddle of calories. Ham handed execution. The prosciutto was thick. For the record. The menu had some interesting things like a pear and cheese pasta (statra-something) and a half duck. The special was pumpkin ravioli. The items I saw delivered to other tables seemed fresh. Prices were between the mid teens and mid-twenties. They served some bread that was cut into triangles and pre-soaked in olive oil. That was a first. Should be copied. The place has a patio and two floors. The place has some charm (exposed beams), but it isn't all it could be. The wall art is a bit scatter shot. The trim looks like it was never touched up. The furniture is a bit old. On the plus side, there is a lot of room between tables. Service was good. Prompt. Knowledgeable. Polite. I'd give them a second chance. They have been there for four years. It is next to the German restaurant.

*They have the Christmas lights up in downtown Mount Dora. It's a charming scene.

**This will be the last post for a little while. I'm sure we are all relieved. The most popular seemed to be the one at Disney. It makes me laugh to think that it is because tourists are clicking on it. I imagine little Johnie asking his parents what "premature ejaculating" on "my tuna's tits" means.